# Past Lectures ## expand\_more Each year, the WSRP Research Associates offer a public lecture to share their work-in-progress with the community. In addition, the program hosts a variety of lectures from distinguished guests. Visit the [WSRP events calendar](/news/events-calendar) to see this year's lecture schedule, and browse the links below to find recordings of lectures that have already taken place. [### Video: The Sibyl: Reclaiming the Power of an Ancient Persona ](/news/2025/03/26/video-sibyl-reclaiming-power-ancient-persona) March 26, 2025 Ashley L. Bacchi is Visiting Assistant Professor of Women’s Studies and Jewish History at HDS for 2024-25. ![sibyl](/sites/g/files/omnuum4861/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-05/Screenshot%202025-04-24%20152319.png?itok=VajWXd5a) [### Video: Jill Johnston’s Born-Again Lesbianism: Feminist and Trans Histories ](/news/2025/03/04/video-jill-johnstons-born-again-lesbianism-feminist-and-trans-histories) March 04, 2025 Wendy Mallette delivered this lecture for Harvard Divinity School's Women's Studies in Religion Program. Wendy Mallette is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Women’s Studies and Theology at Harvard Divinity School. ![born again](/sites/g/files/omnuum4861/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-05/Screenshot%202025-03-20%20162954.png?itok=2StN5fB1) [### Video: Narrating for Love and Change: Reading Women’s Stories in Search of a Feminist Qur’anic Narrator ](/news/2024/12/03/video-narrating-love-and-change-reading-womens-stories-search-feminist-quranic) December 03, 2024 Zahra Moballegh is an Assistant Professor at the Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies in Iran. Her current research project is "Narrating for Love and Change: Reading Women’s Stories in Search of a Feminist Qur’anic Narrator." ![narrating for love and change](/sites/g/files/omnuum4861/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-05/Screenshot%202025-04-24%20155110.png?itok=uhEJyykm) [### Video: Eve’s Innocence: Women’s Biblical Exegesis in Renaissance Venice ](/news/2024/10/10/video-eves-innocence-womens-biblical-exegesis-renaissance-venice) October 10, 2024 The Women's Studies in Religion Program (WSRP) at Harvard Divinity School was delighted to host Erminia Ardissino as she presented on biblical exegesis in Renaissance Venice aimed at rehabilitating the image of Eve. Ann D. Braude, Director of WSRP and... ![Eve](/sites/g/files/omnuum4861/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-05/Screenshot%202025-05-07%20162111.png?itok=JIgPU8bi) [### Video: Ethical Scholarship: Gender, Religion, and Difference ](/news/2024/08/29/video-ethical-scholarship-gender-religion-and-difference) August 29, 2024 Each year the HDS Women's Studies in Religion Program brings scholars in gender from around the country to enrich the experience of HDS students. 2024 Orientation offered students the opportunity to hear from the 2024–25 WSRP visiting faculty, who shared... ![Ann Braude](/sites/g/files/omnuum4861/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-05/Screenshot%202025-03-19%20145050.png?itok=zHHNdJaA) [### Video: The Passions of Aisha: Women, Trauma, and Jinn Possession in Morocco ](/news/2024/04/04/video-passions-aisha-women-trauma-and-jinn-possession-morocco) April 04, 2024 This lecture was given by visiting Associate Professor of Women’s Studies and Islam, Z. Fareen Parvez (University of Massachusetts, Amherst). [Z. Fareen Parvez](/people/fareen-parvez) ![Fareen Parvez](/sites/g/files/omnuum4861/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2024-06/Fareen_Parvez.jpg?itok=PcaBj03t) [### Video: More Babies and More Birth Control: American Jews and the Politics of Reproduction ](/news/2024/02/29/video-more-babies-and-more-birth-control-american-jews-and-politics-reproduction) February 29, 2024 This event was sponsored by the Women's Studies in Religion Program at Harvard Divinity School. This lecture, "More Babies and More Birth Control: American Jews and the Politics of Reproduction," was given by Samira K. Mehta, who is the Visiting Associate... [Samira K. Mehta](/people/samira-k-mehta) ![Samira Mehta](/sites/g/files/omnuum4861/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2024-06/Samira_Mehta.png?itok=-UPgOABS) [### Video: Illuminating the Empire: The Spanish Inquisition and the Spread of Global Heresy ](/news/2023/10/11/video-illuminating-empire-spanish-inquisition-and-spread-global-heresy) October 11, 2023 This lecture was given by Jessica J. Fowler (University of Montana Western), Visiting Associate Professor of Women’s Studies and Catholicism, on her work, "Illuminating the Empire: The Spanish Inquisition and the Spread of Global Heresy." [Jessica J. Fowler](/people/jessica-fowler) ![Jessica Fowler](/sites/g/files/omnuum4861/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2024-06/Jessica_Fowler.jpg?itok=N4N1tBxs) [### Video: Ethical Scholarship: Gender, Religion, and Difference ](/news/2023/10/04/video-ethical-scholarship-gender-religion-and-difference) August 30, 2023 Orientation offered students the opportunity to hear from the 2023–24 WSRP researchers. ![WSRP Old Logo - "Women's Studies In Religion Program"](/sites/g/files/omnuum4861/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2024-06/WSRP%20old%20logo-3840x1650_1.jpeg?itok=C5x9rAxc) [### Video: Rachel Salomons and the World of Jewish Midwives in Early Modern Europe ](/news/2023/06/07/video-rachel-salomons-and-world-jewish-midwives-early-modern-europe) June 07, 2023 Research Associate Jordan R. Katz discusses the dynamic role of the early modern European Jewish midwife. ![Jordan Katz, WSRP RA 2022-23](/sites/g/files/omnuum4861/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/hds_wsrp/files/katz-news-600x400.jpg?itok=BHcnjIbU) Show morerefresh ## See Also [News and Events from the Harvard Radcliffe Institute](https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/news-and-ideas) [News and Events from the Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School](https://wappp.hks.harvard.edu/news-and-events) [News and Events from the Consortium of Graduate Studies in Gender, Culture, Women, and Sexuality at MIT](https://www.gcws.mit.edu/) [News and Events from the Feminist Sexual Ethics Project, Brandeis University](https://www.brandeis.edu/projects/fse/news/)